THE C H E M I C A L W O R L D THIS WEEK C&EN REPORTS:
National Association of Corrosion Engineers
Effective Corrosion Control Common Goal of M a n y Industries Metallurgists and chemists combine their techniques to solve this costly problem
H. J. Rose listed nonfuel uses for coal and suggested future chemical applications with 2 5 % necessary for pilot-plant opera tion and 65% additional cost to actually commercialize the new development. Many problems are never solved, but those that are solved have to pay for the failures. Proper Utilization of Resources. T o day, t h e main concern is the proper utili zation of research resources to obtain maximum production, satisfy basic needs for maintaining a high living standard, and provide for the national security, Dr. Weidlein stated. T h e industry should not he concerned about whether research should b e d o n e or is overexpanded. An increase in the demand for research al ways indicates approaching prosperity by showing a renewal of courage. N e w in dustries are created, many new products appear on the market, improvements in old products make them more attractive to the buying public, and at the same time costs are reduced thereby extending existing markets. The country has m a d e a good beginning in utilizing for its n e e d s the vast number of substances that nature has placed all around it, but many fundamental scientific laws still await discovery and application. It is the belief of m a n y industrial leaders and technical experts, Dr. Weidlein noted, that a large technological development based on coal is in the making. Far too little research has been done on coal. Chemically speaking, no one actually knows what the mineral is, and until this is k n o w n chemists and development engi neers are working under a handicap. Atomic energy cannot succeed coal as a rich source of carbon compounds although in time it may replace coal for the pro duction of power. Dr. Weidlein concluded his speech by predicting that conversion of coal into liquid fuels and chemicals will become the main use of coal, with crude ! coal, like crude oil, accounting for only a small part of the fuel's direct usage However, this will only become a reality through well-organized scientific research on the part of the coal industry. V O L U M E
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CHICAGO.—The use of new alloys, in hibitors, cathodic protection, protective coatings, a n d substitute materials are the main lines along which the attack against corrosion is being carried forward. The widening interest i n the fundamental aspects of corrosion w a s evidenced by the number of papers o n basic corrosion re search g i v e n at the ninth annual confer ence o f the National Association of Cor rosion Engineers held here March 1 6 - 2 0 . Although t h e more than 1500 registrants represented specialists from many dif ferent industries, they all had a common interest in corrosion. Points of special interest w e r e the lectures on the elemen tary principles o f corrosion. In view of these it w a s decided to schedule a short course on marine- corrosion at the Univer sity o f California at Berkeley in the spring of 1954.
The Speller Award for engineering work in corrosion was given to Scott P. Ε wing, Carter Oil Co. Mr. Evving has been as sociated with corrosion work for many years on a number of different projects involving marine and underground corro sion. Corrosion as a Career. Robert M Burns, Bell Telephone Laboratories, who was awarded the Whitney Award for sci entific work on corrosion by the Ν A CE, told of the satisfaction gained b y doing research on corrosion. He calleu for more encouragement of young scientists to make a career of corrosion study. Our educational institutions are not turning out enough scientists while our need for them is constantly increasing. Not enough intelligent young people are guided into scientific fields. A large pro portion of college students have no in-
THE CHEMICAL OF UNUSUAL VERSATILITY H A R C H E M SEBACIC A C I D is o n e of the most v e r s a t i l e r a w materials a v a i l a b l e to the chemical i n d u s t r y ; a free f l o w i n g p o w d e r , w h i t e in color, w i t h a high melting point. H a r c h e m Sebacic A c i d is easily converted to esters, salts, a m i d e s , ester-amides, acid chlorides a n d m a n y other useful d e r i v a t i v e s . A v a i l a b l e in t o n n a g e quantities. W r i t e for further i n f o r m a t i o n .
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HARDESTY G Η Ε MIC Α Γ Ί Η VIS1 ON W. C HARDÊSTY ÇO.v INC; 41
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1953
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THE CHEMICAL WORLD THIS WEEK c0U?Ç*BEloi2
SUMMER HOME DE-SKUNKED WITH NEUTROLEUM . . .
Scott P. Ewing, Carter O i l Co., Bartlesville, Okla., receives the Speller Award from Ν. Ε . Berry, Servel, Inc., Evansville, Ind., chairman of the NACE awards committee. The awaxd i s recognition of contributions t o corrosion engineering
Few industrial odor problems are a s difficult of solution a s that of the cottage owner w h o found that his summer residence h a d been occupied, during his winter absence, by a family of skunks. His h o m e w a s again made habitable by a liberal spraying of NEUTROLEUM, o n e of the most efficient technical deodorants ever developed. It's powerful, t o o ! O n e pound of NEUTROLEUM will neu-
FRIT2SCHE BROTHERS, Inc. 76 NINTH AVE., NEW YORK 1 1 , Ν. Υ. W e are interested in Π PERFUMES Π ODOR NEUTRAUZERS for use in the manufacture of products checked be low. What do you recommend? Π FORMALDEHYDE Q ADHESIVES Π CLEANING COMPOUNDS Π INK Π FUEL OIL • LUBRICATING OILS Π SPRAYS Π WAXES Π PLASTICS Π RUBBER Q LATEX Π LEATHER Π PAINTS or LACQUER • TEXTILES Π ROOM or • HOSPITAL DEODORANTS Π OTHER PRODUCTS:.
FRITZS CHE PORT AUTHORITY
7 6 NINTH AVENUE,
1308
/&A
BUILDING NEW YORK 1 1 ,
N.Y.
tcrest in science. The prevalence of this attitude is t h e direct result of improper science teaching in the secoxidary schools. F e w high school science teachers have any idea what it is like t o b e a metal lurgist, a chemist, or a n engineer. This is deplorable because it i s during high school that the student i s in his most formative years. Plastic Equipment. J, L. Huscher, American Agile Corp., discussed the use of all plastic piping and equipment for chemical processing. With relatively little advertising $7.5 million worth of plastic pipe was sold in 1951. H e estimated yearly sales of $75 to $100 million in five or sixyears. Besides pipe there are now avail able valves, mixing vessels, ventilating fans, storage tanks, a n d other equipment fabricated entirely of plastic. Materials with varied corrosive properties may be selected for specific applications. Mr. Huscher said that plastics can often do a better job at l o w e r cost than metals. They are light in w e i g h t and have excellent corrosive properties. Higher initial costs may be offset by longer life and easier installation. T h e r e are some fonns into which plastic m a y be shaped much easier than metals might. For ex ample long lengths o f unjointed tubing may b e used to form coils. In some cases the smooth inside surface of plastic pipe might permit smaller diameter pipe than would be indicated ordinarily. Comparison with other materials is com plex and should not "be xxndertaken with out careful consideration. Application of plastics requires experience and a sense of responsibility on t h e part of the manu facturer. Fabrication methods differ from those used for older materials. In the discussion 'which followed Mr. Huscher's paper Fred A. Prange, Phillips Petroleum Co., brought o u t t h e fact that better standard tests f o r plastics are needed. The applieation to plastics of
CHEMICAL
the tensile strength tests used for metals give a false idea of the actual properties of the sample. More reliable data is needed for design purposes. L. B. Kuhn, Fire stone Plastics C o . , agreed but pointed out that plastics are now in a similar position to stainless steels when they were first used in chemical process work. H e said that as more information becomes avail able, better standardization will follow. Special Effects. Materials used to en hance strength or other desired properties often lead to corrosion problems. E. D , Weisert, Haynes Stellite Div., Union Car bide & Carbon Corp., described the effect of boron on a series of cast chromiumnickel-cobalt-iron alloys for gas turbine applications. Generally boron was found to have an adverse effect on oxidation re sistance at high temperatures. This diffi culty may be overcome by keeping the iron content l o w and using tungsten rather than molybdenum as a minor additive for strengthening. Molten lead seems to penetrate grain boundaries in stressed rimmed and silicon killed steels causing failure at levels lower than published values. H. F. Peters, Lukens Steel Co., has carried out experi ments on stressed steel in a lead bath at temperatures from 800° to 1440° F. E. N. Skinner, International Nickel Co., said that this fitted in with conclusions from previous studies. It may b e that a leadsilicon combination, possibly lead silicate, is the culprit. The high cost of corrosion in the pro duction of natural gas and crude oil was emphasized b y Jack L. Battle, Humble Oil and Refining Co. In polling a limited number of companies, representing about 10% of the producing wells in the United States, it was found that they spend over $2 million annually on the repair of cas ings due to corrosion failure. This does not include down-time and other losses not so easily calculated.
AND ENGINEERING
NEWS
